Thirteen Deadly Sins
by alittlebird16
Summary: B had it all planned out: how he was going to surpass L, become better than him in every aspect. The girl was just an added bonus. Akane doesn't know whom she's dealing with.
1. Greed: Gathering Intel

A/N: This is a Christmas gift for my truly amazingly fantastic best friend, 4everbrisingr. (Merry Christmas! Sorry I'm late!) Please go check out her stuff, but read this first! And review! It is my first time ever writing for B and I would love to know how I did. Please enjoy!

Oh, and if it gets confusing in the italics when B is talking to himself, it's on purpose. He is crazy after all.

_Thirteen Deadly Sins_

**Greed**

{Gathering Intel}

A laugh echoed down the hall, bouncing off the cool tile floors and grey concrete walls. Its source came from the last room on the left, which housed a young man, his dark hair in spiky disarray around his face. One hand held a jar filled with sticky sweet strawberry jam while the other loosely grasped a pencil. The floor in front of him was littered with scraps of paper all covered in messy kanji script. He cocked his head to the side, appearing to be listening to someone, though he was the room's only occupant. He let out another laugh, "Kya ha ha! Oh, that's good." Pulling an almost completely full scrap towards him, he scribbled down more notes.

He had been scheming for close to a year now, _9 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 14 hours, 37 minute, and 19 seconds to be exact_, but he knew his thoroughness would pay off in the end. After all, one didn't outsmart the world's greatest detective through sloppiness and hastily thought out plans. The thought of L kneeling before him, of the fact that he, Beyond Birthday, would finally be king, caused another laugh to bubble up. But it was abruptly cut short by the bang of what sounded like a shoe thumping against his closed door. "Quiet down in there; some of us are trying to sleep!" the angry voice of his across-the-hall neighbor called. B frowned. _Foolish _he thought _very foolish to mess with one who knows more about the matters of life and death than you do. Very foolish indeed. _He crawled across the floor and reached up to turn the doorknob. Opening the heavy wooden door, he peeked out to see the man across the way doing the same. The red glowing numbers above his head still showed a substantial amount of time; his moment of death was still a long ways off. _Pity _B thought. He couldn't kill him now and do away with this annoyance that was sure to crop up again in the future.

Now that his favorite method of dealing with problems was inconvenient, he needed some other way to diffuse the situation. _What would L do? He would probably be polite, apologize for any trouble his odd habits had caused his fellow inhabitants. _He opened his mouth and spoke: "Terribly sorry to disturb you." _But wait,_ a tendril of doubt lingered in his mind, _does that mean that I, as his copy, should act polite as well or should I be the opposite? L and B, B and L…one day I will either surpass him or become him. Which will be better, which is the more satisfying of the two? _But while B was caught in his internal monologue, the moment had passed. The man had already nodded and shut his own door, probably eager to reclaim the warmth of his bed. Crimson eyes locked onto the abandoned shoe that had been launched like a missile at his door. Picking it up, he tested its weight in his hand and then hefted it towards the opposite door with a loud hyena-like laugh. He slammed his door shut to a cacophony of more yelling. _It's always better to leave them guessing. _

XxXxXx

_One Week Later…_

Akane giggled as she followed a reluctant Glen down a decrepit hallway, the grey concrete cracked and water-stained. He was consulting the piece of paper the landlord had given him while she was carrying a box of the essentials. The rest of the artist's things were back at his old apartment, but they were all packed away in crates and boxes. And the moving truck wasn't coming until tomorrow. Glen figured he'd be more comfortable camping in his new place where he had more room to spread out; which explained the blue nylon sleeping bag tucked under Akane's arm. "Are we lost?" she teased the dark-haired man, though she didn't quite see how that could be possible. They were on the second floor which was an exact replica of the one below it. The hallway formed a large square around an open area through which the lobby could be viewed. The apartments were numbered one through fourteen with the first being off to their right and number fourteen being situated on the back wall.

"Its number seven," Glen frowned at the paper in his hands.

Noting that apartment eight was located to their left, Akane nudged him forward with the box. "Then it's this way, come on, let's go."

They walked along the industrial-carpeted hall until they reached the corner room. The brass number seven hung a little askew, but the locks worked when Glen stuck in the key Mr. Saunders had provided him with. The two friends stepped into the small area and saw that the previous tenant had kept it relatively clean. There were no strange stains on the wood floors and no dirty dished piled in the sink. The wallpaper was yellow and peeling, but all in all it was a good space for what Glen was paying for it; which wasn't much.

Akane set down her box next to the door and wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. "Not much cooler in here than it is outside, huh?"

"No air-conditioning," he explained, walking back into the main entry way from his inspection of the rest of the space. "The humidity is gonna be hell on my oil paints."

She chuckled at the distressed frown that marred his features. "Cheer up," she admonished. "You know you're lucky to get this place for so cheap." Sighing, the dark-haired man nodded.

"You're right." He rubbed his face thoughtfully. "But still…"

A sleeping bag to the head interrupted his line of thought. "Ow," he protested. What was that for?"

The petite college student feigned innocence by widening her dark eyes, but her long-time friend wasn't fooled. "That's it!" he announced. Abandoning the sleeping bag on the floor he chased after Akane, threatening to tickle her. She yelped and skipped lightly away, moving further into the apartment and laughing like a crazy woman the entire time.

XxXxXx

The high-pitched giggling grated on B's ears but it managed to pull him enough out of his work-induced stupor to investigate the goings-on. He walked into the main room of his quarters which served as the living room/kitchen/dining room. Currently it was empty with the exception of a single new addition underneath the bay window. There was a bank of televisions located there now, six to be exact, with a tangle of black wires snaking out the back towards the outlet in the corner. The images they boasted on their screens could be called grainy at best, but the shapes were easy to pick out and people's faces came in pretty clear as long as they were looking straight into the lenses; which the majority did since they didn't realize that's what they were actually doing.

No, the set up wasn't exactly legal, especially with the added bonus of the six corresponding speakers that picked up every sound in the camera's vicinity. But since when was anything he did _exactly _legal? _Everything L does is legal _piped up the voice in his mind. _Not true, not true, _he argued with himself. _Not everything that man does goes above the law. No matter how much he works with the "authorities," _B's air quotes were full of sarcasm as he stood in the entryway, quarreling with himself, _he has to have some activities that he doesn't wish them to know about. Right? Right, _his other half consoled him. _No one is perfect; especially him. Except me. Of course; except you. You will be the perfect L. That's why you will be so much better than him. _B laughed quietly to himself and then went to see to the source of his annoyance. The giggling had been occurring spasmodically throughout the morning and it was only now that it finally grew into enough of an irritation for him to notice.

Before going over to his surveillance area, he made a detour to the fridge to retrieve a jar of his favorite snack: strawberry jam. As he did so, he found himself thinking back to how he'd come to be in possession of the equipment. The televisions and such were the easy part; the internet was a helpful invention and the delivery guy didn't ask any intrusive questions; which was good because doing away with him would have been problematic (though not entirely impossible considering he only had a few days left anyway). Planting them had been slightly harder though still almost as easy as taking candy from a baby. B snickered at the ridiculous American expression. He'd learned quite a few of those during his time in L.A. and they never failed to amuse him.

Mr. Hubert, the man who had a penchant for launching shoe-missiles at locked doors, had gone to the landlord the next day and said that he refused to live another minute across the hall from an "insane psycho-maniac" (his words, not B's). Mr. Saunders had tried to calm him down to no avail and by that evening the space was up for rent once more. To his credit, the unfortunate proprietor had attempted to talk to B to make peace between the neighbors, but he had pretended to be asleep when the two knocked on the door. Mr. Hubert had thrown up his hands in disgust and walked away to gather his luggage and take his leave. Secretly, the dark-haired man was pleased with the development. The older man had been far too uptight for his tastes.

Later, he had gone to see the landlord on the pretext of borrowing some tools and drugged his tea. It really was too easy , he just left he cup sitting there, unattended and lonely, while he went to fetch the screwdriver B so desperately needed to finish that darned bookcase. _Why don't you just poison him? Because this place is a convenient hide out. I'm not ready to leave yet. Later, maybe, if things work out. But his time of death is so close, it can't be much more than a couple of months from now…_the voice in his head was whining and it set B's teeth on edge. _No! Now be quiet, he's coming back. _The crimson-eyed man forced a smile as the elderly man shuffled back into the room with the tool. Unfortunately it came out more like a grimace and Mr. Saunders simply let him leave without a word.

He returned approximately half an hour later, _29 minutes, 43 seconds to be exact, _and swiped the man's keys off his desk. Casually strolling down the hall so as to remain inconspicuous to any prying eyes, he unlocked the door to apartment number seven and quickly set down to work.

The miniature button cams were easy to hide and their accompanying diminutive microphones remained inconspicuous as well. B bugged every room in the house and then made sure everything was how he'd found it. No need to raise suspicion now. He replaced the keys on the landlord's desk and then returned to his own quarters to set up the rest of the equipment. Within a few hours he was online. Not that he'd had much to watch over the last week. Tenants weren't exactly jumping to live in this spot that was in such a crummy part of the city's outskirts. But it seemed that now things were beginning to get interesting.

XxXxXx

Akane collapsed, breathless, on the floor. "I give," she called weakly to Glen who appeared to be breathing just as hard as her.

"What?" he asked. "I'm not…even…tired yet."

Akane gave him a wry look and was about to give a sarcastic comment in response when she felt her back pocket vibrate. Holding up a finger, she signaled for Glen to "hold that thought" while she retrieved her text message. It was from her roommate, Rebecca. "Shit!"

The green-eyed man gave her a questioning look. She scowled at the phone's screen before snapping it shut and tucking it back in her pocket. "Problem?"

She turned towards him and gave him her best puppy dog eyes. She knew they were his weakness and wasn't above using her assets to get what she wanted. When he saw the look on her face, he immediately screwed his own eyes shut and crossed his arms over his face for more protection. "No! I will not give in this time Akane!"

She pouted. "Come on, Glen, please, you don't even know what I'm going to ask you yet!"

"I know it's gonna be bad! And I'm probably gonna have to do something I don't like!" his voice came out muffled on account of his arms. Akane rolled her eyes. Honestly, he acted like such a child sometimes. But he was a good friend when she needed him.

"You don't have to do anything," she promised, a grin pulling at the corners of her lips.

There was a beat of silence. "What?" he asked flatly.

"Let me crash here tonight." When he didn't answer, she rushed to fill the silence, not giving him a chance to deny her request. "Please! Rebecca's having her boyfriend over _again _tonight and I so don't want to deal with that." Last time, even her blasting iPod had not been enough to block the two out. "Protect my virgin ears!" she pleaded, giggling and throwing herself across his lap. He looked down at her consideringly for a while.

"Can't you ask Lena to stay with her?"

She shook her head. "She has early morning classes. No way am I getting up at seven a.m. unless it's an emergency."

"Fine," he finally sighed. "There's an extra sleeping bag in the back of my car, go grab it."

"Yes!" she exclaimed. She gave him a kiss on his perpetually stubbly cheek and snatched the keys out of his hand. "You're the best Glen," she called as she dashed out the door. "I owe you!"

"Yeah, yeah," the artist mumbled, more to himself than anything as he ambled into the kitchen in search of food.

Akane exited the dismal apartment and headed off to the doors that lead to the stairs. As she passed number five, the back of her neck prickled uncomfortably, like someone was watching her. She whipped her head around, long dark hair flying, and peered into the murky shadows of the corner. Unfortunately, she couldn't make anything out. She still felt uneasy and decided to call out. "Hello? Is anyone there?" She received no answer. Shivering once, she hurried down to the car.

XxXxXx

There was a barely audible chuckle from the corner where B stood lounging against the wall. His heart was pounding in his chest and his breaths were coming quicker than before; his cheeks were flushed. One could almost say he looked excited about something. And if it wasn't for the feverish and almost…_dangerous _glint to his ruby red eyes, they could almost assume it was for something normal.

He had been watching the interaction between the boy and the girl play out on the television screen. He knew who the boy was: Glen Fairway, but the girl had yet to turn her face towards one of the lenses. His curiosity had gotten the better of him, especially since she kept letting out that annoying laugh. _See? We are acting like a detective, just like L. We're going to be so much better than him. _So when he saw her making her way towards the door, he exited his own apartment and lay in wait for her. _Should I talk to her? L probably would; he'd be polite, act neighborly. _B gave a low chuckle at that. _So should I introduce myself? Yes, that would make the most sense. We want to surpass L in every way and that should include being a gentleman. _He had been dead set on greeting her, but the instant he laid eyes on her, all that changed. It wasn't her looks that he found appealing. _But you must admit, she's easy on the eyes. All that long dark hair would be fun to yank her into submission. _Nor was it her name that particularly startled him. It was the glowing red numbers hanging above her head. The instant that he looked at her face for the first time they read: 77713777. At first, he was distracted by all the sevens. _Damn L; always popping up in places when I don't need him interfering in my business and plans. Why do sevens have to look like L? Well, seven is a magical number. He can have his damn magic! But wait- _He abruptly cut his internal monologue short as he realized what other numbers had been present in the girl's life sentence: a thirteen. _And one and three look like B when you push them together. Oh ho! _"Kya ha ha!" B let a laugh escape as he thought about the significance of this revelation. Luckily, the girl, Akane, had already hurried towards the exit and was too far away to hear him.

If he took this girl, _take her? Like _murder _her? _Then it would be like snatching her right out from under L's nose! He, Beyond Birthday, _also known as thirteen, _would swoop in and steal this girl right from between L, _who was also known as seven. Take that, you magic man! _It was one of the more brilliant plans he had come up with lately, he must admit. _But what about all your other plans? We don't want to mess those up; this girl could do that. Don't worry; if anything she will be an asset to those plans. Why else would her numbers be so symbolic? _

He stood up from his crouch on the floor and made his way back into his apartment. Closing the door, he smiled widely to himself, his eyes still glowing with that feverish excitement. He paid no attention to the bank of televisions where Akane had appeared back on screen, lugging another sleeping bag. She began conversing with Glen again, but their voices were mere background noise to the growing clamor in B's mind. The plans he had now would need to be fine tuned a little, but in reality the addition of this girl would change little. To tell the truth, he had been in the market for a partner for a while now. He knew L had Watari and at first he had been attracted to the idea of surpassing L and doing it all on his own. _Showing him up, being one step better. _But then he realized it was a lot hard than L made it look. _Stupid magic man, making it all look easy. _A companion would certainly take some of the stress of himself and it would make him so much similar to L. _A copy, a copy; double trouble; kya ha ha! Why try to surpass the real thing by being superior when you can surpass him while doing the exact same things he did? Adding insult to injury has always been fun. _The person didn't have to know with whom they were dealing with; he just needed someone to do the more menial tasks that came with having his own headquarters. Akane fit the bill nicely and had the added bonus of rubbing salt in L's wounds because of her unique life sentence.

The annoying pip-squeak voice that he usually banished to the back of his mind finally made its opinions known. _But how will we get her? Taking her against her will is not something L would do. Don't worry, she'll come readily enough. Being a gentleman is an easy second skin for me to slip into. But she's so sweet and nice, look at her with her friend. Can you really destroy something so pure? _B glanced over at the monitor in question that showed Glen and Akane deep in conversation. She appeared to truly care for her friend as she gave him a tight hug after it was over.

_See? _The voice said. The dark-haired man shrugged. _Her disposition is none of my concern. L wouldn't dare harm an innocent. _That brought a smile to the man's face. It had an edge to it, though, an icy calculating undercurrent that served as a warning. The voice quickly shut up.

_L needs to learn to fully embrace his dark side. After all, no human being is perfect. If, no when, I manage to surpass him, I will be that much better than him because I have both a light and dark side. Light side? What light side? You have been swallowed up by the darkness long ago. I show the two sides of humanity while L keeps up his little show of purity. Wait, I thought you said he had things he didn't want the police to know about. Doesn't that qualify as having a dark side too? _HA! _Do you really think he enjoyed doing those things? No, he's much too good to have a dark side. That's why I am so superior to him. I have embraced my faults and used them to my advantage. _

B wandered into the kitchen for a celebratory jar of jam. _L needs to learn that it's okay to have your cake and eat it too. _


	2. Lust: A Misstep?

Here's the second chapter! Way longer than the first, but still enjoyable? Hopefully? Please review and let me know if you like it. Oh, and I realize I never put a disclaimer. I DO NOT OWN DEATH NOTE. There. The only people I own are Lena and Glen. Akane and Rebecca belong to others and Felicity belongs to Libba Bray. PLEASE ENJOY!

_Thirteen Deadly Sins_

**Lust**

{A Misstep?}

The thin walls vibrated from the low bass of the techno music coming from apartment number seven. Inside, various people danced, mixed drinks, and talked. It was the weekend and Akane had convinced Glen to throw a party. She insisted it would be like a house-warming to celebrate his new digs, even if they were less than noteworthy. He had snorted when she had proposed the idea and commented that house-warming parties were for stodgy old folks like his parents. The two had shared a laugh at that and Akane had managed to get her way.

Glen sighed as he surveyed the scene. What had started out as just a few friends getting together for drinks had gotten out of hand, as it usually did. There were at least twenty people crammed into the small space, causing the temperature to rise exponentially. The lights were dimmed and the stereo cranked, a dance space had been cleared in the living room where a few people were attempting to start a mosh pit. Currently, he was in the kitchen embroiled in a heated discussion with Akane and Lena, the dark-haired girl's friend from school.

"I'm telling you, he's crazy!" he exclaimed, taking a sip of his beer.

"Well maybe you shouldn't live in such a shitty apartment then," Akane's eyes sparkled mischievously. Lena giggled even as she scolded her friend for her language. "What? You know I'm right," she insisted.

He crossed his arms over his chest in an angry huff. "You try being a poor art student!"

She stuck out her tongue and her childish response caused them all to crack up.

It was at that moment that Rebecca chose to break into their conversation. "Hey guys. What's so funny?"

"Akane was poking fun at Glen for his unfortunate financial standing due to his chosen profession," Lena explained in her typical fashion.

The tan girl stifled her giggle in her palm and laid her hand on the artist's arm in a sympathetic gesture. "I'm sorry," she said, mock empathy in her eyes.

The green-eyed man scowled and shrugged off her touch. But he smiled in the next moment to assure her he understood she was in jest.

"Yeah, Glen, don't be sad," Akane cut in. "I'm sure you can find another way to make some extra money."

"Yeah, like working the corner," Rebecca added. The two of them cracked up all over again while Glen just frowned.

Lena, however, looked a little lost. "What's the joke?" she asked. The two dark-haired girls only laughed harder at that while he sighed. They had all teased Lena at one time or another. She was severely sheltered, as a child she had grown up under strict Catholic parents who had about a million and a half rules.

He opened his mouth to explain but a smoky voice from behind cut him off. "What's going on here?" it asked.

Glen whirled to find Lena's white-blond-haired, navy-blue-eyed girlfriend, Felicity. "Hey," he greeted her warmly. "Akane and Rebecca are teasing Lena again," he explained.

"Fee," the petite brunette's eyes lit up when she caught sight of the other girl. The blond went over to her and they embraced before the taller of the two pressed her lips to the other's forehead. Lena sighed and smiled and Glen felt his own answering smile tug at his lips as he watched they pair. "They won't explain what they mean by him working the corner," she said.

Felicity laughed. "They're calling him a prostitute," she clarified simply.

Lena's porcelain skin instantly flushed a deep red and the rest of the group dissolved into laughter at her expense.

Soon after, they all dispersed, each breaking off to do their own thing. Felicity and Lena sat talking quietly in a corner while Glen wandered off to attend to his host duties. Rebecca also managed to sneak off with her own boyfriend. That left Akane alone in the kitchen. She tossed back the rest of her drink and had to grab the counter to steady herself when she set it back down. _Whoa…_she thought to herself, brushing her dark bangs out of her eyes. _Maybe I've had too much to drink. _She suddenly became aware of how uncomfortably hot it was in the apartment. She gathered her long dark hair into a ponytail with her hand and fanned the back of her neck with the other. _I think I'll go outside; get a breath of air. _Akane nearly stumbled as she took a step forward and paused for a moment to steady herself. She carefully made her way to the front and stepped out, closing the door behind her. It was cooler out here, which was a relief, even if only marginally. The pulsating music was also muffled which gave a respite to her aching head. She massaged her temples and groaned. She was sure to have a headache tomorrow.

"Hello there," a deep voice greeted her from the inky shadows across the hall.

XxXxXx

B watched, staying hidden in the shadows as the girl jumped in surprise, pressing a hand to her heart. "Hello?" she called. "Who's there?"

He chuckled but made no move to leave his hiding place. He was enjoying the view from here, thank you very much. _So you do think she's pretty. This is more than just convenience and revenge to you isn't it? No, no, trust me; her prettiness is merely a bonus. Can't this be a onetime thing, please? _That pipsqueak voice in his head was beginning to get annoying with how often it spoke up lately. Usually he could manage to push it to the back of his mind and bury it under all the other things he was concentrating on in that moment. But that wasn't working as well recently. His concentration kept breaking and that grating voice was allowed to speak its mind. Like now. _Just take her now like you wanted and let her go, _it pleaded. _That should satisfy your twisted vengeance, right? Kya ha ha, I should think not. She needs to be used to _beat _L. Only then will my "twisted vengeance" be satisfied. _Chuckling once more as the voice shrank off to sulk in a corner, he let his face emerge from the shadows to address the dark-haired girl still peering towards him. To her it must have looked like he was a ghost emerging from the darkness: the way his pale face swam out of the shadows.

"Don't be alarmed," he smiled. "It's only me."

She regarded him closely, studying his face, apparently deciding if she could trust his words. She took a few steps closer and with the new vantage point he could see that her eyes were slightly unfocused. So she was intoxicated. He couldn't tell how much at the moment, but if it was severe, it could put quite a damper on his plans.

Suddenly, recognition brightened those dark eyes of hers. "Hey, you're Glen's crazy neighbor, aren't you?"

He was silent for a moment, deciding an appropriate response to this. If the man across the hall (who enjoyed throwing shoes almost as much as the previous tenant) had poisoned his reputation against her, he would have to work that much harder to spin her into his web. _This is the perfect opportunity, just nod and be on your way and leave this girl be! _

Luckily, he was saved from response by Akane piping up once again. "Oh, my God," she covered her mouth with her hands as if she could scoop up her previous words and take them back. "I didn't mean it like that! I meant…"

B held up a hand to stop her. "It's okay, honestly. I admit I am a little eccentric. (_A little?)_ My late night hobbies tend to get on people's nerves. But please give my compliments to your friend on his excellent taste in shoes."

She giggled at that, obviously having no clue what he was referring to.

"Forgive me, but I don't seem to recall your name. What was it again?" Normally, he wouldn't use this tactic since most saw right through it. But with her level of intoxication, he figured he could get away with it.

"It's Akane," she slurred, her cheeks red.

"A lovely name for a lovely girl," he murmured, walking further out of the shadows. Her cheeks flushed darker at the compliment and he noted that her eyes dipped down to take stock of his outfit as it was revealed to her. As her gaze traveled over his fitted black pants and dinner jacket with the snow-white button down underneath, he felt a thrill of excitement run through his veins, a sensation he hadn't encountered in a long while.

When she finished inspecting his outfit, she peered into his face again and raised her eyebrows. "What's the occasion?"

B gave a sardonic smile. "My dear, you just made the occasion. I was hoping to have the pleasure of meeting a pretty girl and you fit the bill perfectly." He then returned the favor and gave his inspection of _her _outfit. She was wearing a pair of close-fitting low rise jeans paired with a cropped blue top made of some flowy material. The combination revealed a thin strip of tan stomach and B let his gaze rest hungrily on it for a few seconds, knowing it would deepen the girls' blush.

"Thank you," she murmured, suddenly shy.

"May I ask what you're doing out here?" he came to stand close to her, yet far enough away that he was in no danger of breeching her personal space. He didn't want to scare her off now.

"The party got too hot," she replied, eyes widening a bit as she took in his nearness.

"Ah, yes," he commented. "It seems to have gotten rather rowdy."

Her expression turned apologetic. "I'm sorry if we disturbed you. I can go tell them to keep it down, or-" she took a step back towards the door.

But B placed a hand on her arm to stop her. She froze the instant he made contact and he thrilled at the fact. _Oh, it won't take much to get this one to submit to us. _"Really, Akane," he paused to gage her reaction as her name rolled sensually of his tongue. A small tremor wracked her petite frame. _Delicious. _"It's no trouble at all."

"Are you sure?" she sounded doubtful.

"Yes." She nodded at the confirmation but then winced and rubbed her temples.

"Anything wrong?" his voice oozed concern.

She waved it away. "It's just a headache, I'm sure it will be gone soon." There was a particularly loud thump from the music just then, and she winced again.

B pounced on his chance. _Please just let her go. QUIET! I will do as I please and no one can tell me otherwise. This girl does not want nor need your protection. She'll be just fine. If by fine you mean shattered and scarred then yes, she'll be fine. What did I say about being quiet? _"If your head isn't up to the party just now, you're more than welcome to come to my place for a while until things calm down." His eyes studied her face as he waited for her response and he knew he injected just the right amount of heat and want into his gaze when she blushed and looked away, giggling.

"Are you sure that would be okay?" she queried.

B's smile was a predatory as a shark's as he realized his prey was caught. "Of course," he purred.

Her face turned bright red once more but her eyes remained interested. "Alright. Just, uh, let me grab my stuff and I'll be right out." She turned and reached for the doorknob, but immediately turned back around. "What's your name?" she asked.

His smile quirked up into a smirk. "You can call me B."

XxXxXx

_What a strange name, _Akane thought to herself as she weaved her way through the crush of bodies in Glen's apartment. _Just a letter? I wonder what kind of people his parents were to give him such a name. Now, where did I leave my purse? _Her thoughts of the strange young man awaiting her presence outside trailed off as she tried to focus on where she'd left her things. She thought she'd tossed them in the bedroom when she first arrived, but couldn't be too sure. She spotted Lena, Felicity, and Rachel as she passed the impromptu dance floor, Rachel's boyfriend watching from a corner. He said he preferred not to dance so as not to make a fool of himself. Akane quickly walked past them, glad they were occupied.

Not that she shouldn't tell somebody about her whereabouts for the foreseeable future, but she would rather it be Glen. He wouldn't ask as many questions as the girls would, though he could occasionally be more of a gossip hound than they could. He also might be concerned that she was hanging out with his "crazy" neighbor. She frowned at that. B was actually quite nice, a perfect gentleman in her opinion, and he was being an awfully good sport about how loud and obnoxious their party had gotten. Glen should really just get to know the guy before making such a snap judgment on him. After all, she was "a bit eccentric" and he put up with her.

Finally making it to the bedroom, she sighed in relief when she saw her purse and coat on the bed. Grabbing them, she turned to leave but hesitated when she heard odd noises coming from the walk-in closet off in the corner. She slowly tiptoed over towards it, her heartbeat speeding up and her hand reaching into her purse to grip her phone, ready to call 911, just in case it was a crazy serial killer in there, ready to spring.

The door was ajar, leaving just enough space between it and the frame for her to peek through without being seen. The first thing she caught sight of was Glen's head of messy dark hair and she opened her mouth to ask him what he was doing in his closet, when she realized he wasn't alone in there. The other man had shaggy black hair that fell across his closed eyes as Glen ravaged his mouth. One of his hands was slowly creeping up the back of the man's white t-shirt while the other was in the belt loop of his loose jeans. The other man hands were wandering as well, across the planes of Glen's already shirtless chest.

Her cheeks flushing red, Akane quickly retreated back to the party. Once her embarrassment receded with the heat in her cheeks, she chuckled. _Looks like Glen finally found someone. _

She arrived back at the entrance to the apartment and glanced around to see her friends were still occupied on the dance floor. She hesitated, torn between letting them know she was leaving or not. After a few minutes of internal debate, she decided to just leave. She figured they would assume she had gone home with someone anyway, once the party finally died down.

Exiting and closing the door behind her, she found B, right where she'd left him. He had a faraway expression in his eyes, as if he was thinking of something far removed from the present events. She cleared her throat softly to get his attention and immediately those brilliant eyes snapped towards her. She gave a small smile which he eagerly returned. "Are you all ready then?" he asked. She nodded. "Don't you need to tell your friends where you are going?"

She chuckled a little at the similarity of thoughts they both had. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she replied, "No, they're all busy anyway. They'll just assume I already went home or something."

His smile grew and he offered her his arm, just like a true gentleman taking a lady on a date in one of those old movies. She returned the smile and giggled a little as she took the proffered arm. He led them the short distance across the hallway to his apartment. She noticed the brass number on his door, and commented on it. "Thirteen? Aren't you afraid to get bad luck?"

He laughed softly as he unlocked the door. "On the contrary, I find it to be quite a lucky number. After all, I met you tonight, didn't I?" His compliment made her blush, as he knew it would and he ushered them both inside, closing and locking the door behind them.

XxXxXx

He watched her as she looked around the apartment, soaking everything in. He had cleaned it earlier that day in preparation for this evening's activities. Of course, he hadn't been entirely sure that the girl would come with him. _Really? We are very persuasive after all. And there are…other methods if she wasn't willing. I don't want to do that to her. It has to be entirely of her own accord otherwise it's pointless. _But he wanted everything to be perfect, just in case. The carpets had been freshly vacuumed, the floors freshly cleaned. The surveillance area had all been put away and no trace had been left behind. Instead there was a couch of a nondescript color with a plain wooden coffee table. All the sort of furniture that a normal, sane person would have. _Strange how much appearances can lie, isn't it? _

"Would you like to take a seat?" he offered, coming up behind her. She started a little at that which gave him great pleasure. _Steady now, steady. You have to stay in character, gain her trust, lure her in. _All those old movies had rubbed off on his acting skills considerably. He knew the whole gentlemen bit was working on her, could see the small amount of awe and respect in her eyes whenever she looked at him. She smelled delicious. Some sort of flowery scent that blended perfectly with her unique essence. "I could get us some wine," he continued.

She turned to face him. "I really shouldn't. About the wine I mean," she clarified. "I've already had enough to drink tonight, I think."

"Just a small glass," he pressed, his tone gentle to offset his words. _It's not necessary, leave it be, you don't want to scare her off. But the drugs will help loosen her up…_ The small amount he had prepared to discreetly put in her glass wouldn't harm her at all; just leave her with a fuzzy feeling.

"Oh, alright," she acquiesced, surprising him a little. _Maybe she's more infatuated than we originally thought. _He gestured for her to take a seat on the couch while he entered the kitchen and poured them each a glass of a cheap red wine he had purchased at the grocery store earlier that day.

He returned to the living room and handed her her glass before taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch. She took small sips of the ruby liquid while staring down at her shoes. Her other hand fiddled nervously with a loose string on the hem of her shirt. He took a gulp of his own beverage while he tried to think of something to say. Now that he had her where he wanted her, it was harder to keep up the veneer of a perfect gentleman.

Loosening his tie and undoing the top button of his shirt with the same movement, he spoke. "It's a bit warm in here, isn't it?"

Her eyes had snapped up to his face the moment he had begun speaking and he watched now as her eyes focused on the slim v of skin he had exposed while she swallowed nervously. "Y-yeah, I suppose so," she said, taking another sip of wine.

He smiled at the way her voice had gone up an octave and decided to call her on it. "Do I make you nervous Akane?" There was that delicious shudder again as he said her name.

She denied it. "Why would you think that?" Unfortunately for her, her voice was still quite high.

"No reason," he said flippantly, letting the conversation peter out in favor of studying her face. As she realized she was being stared at her eyes jumped back and forth from his face to the couch as if she wasn't sure where she wanted to look. He let the silence stretch out, hoping she would be the one to break it.

The dark-haired girl didn't disappoint. "Look, I-" she began, letting out a huff of air.

He quirked an eyebrow. "Yes?"

She stared at him as if trying to figure out his motives, pursing her lips in thought. Which B thought made them look absolutely kissable. _Wait, did I really just think that? Am I becoming sappy this early in the plan? No, it must be the arousal talking, that's it. That's all it is. _"Your eyes…" she started and he tensed, prepared for a comment about how eerie they were, what a strange color and then for her to take her leave and crash and burn all his plans. "They're beautiful."

He smiled at that, both from the compliment and in thanks. No one ever said anything nice about his eyes. _What is with all these sentimental thoughts? Shut up and get on with the plan! _

He got up and abandoning his glass on the table, went to sit closer to her, almost touching but not quite. "Do you really think so?" he asked in a low voice. Gulping, she nodded. "Yours are quite lovely as well," he replied, letting his gaze drop to her lips. Her breath hitched a little at that but she made no move to shift away. "I'm going to kiss you now," he whispered, moving closer to her and taking the wine glass from her hand, he set it on the coffee table. Her only response was for her eyes to drop closed a bit and to let out a little sigh as if to say "I'd thought you'd never ask."

Their lips touched, hers melding to his, as she melted into the kiss. They broke apart after a couple minutes and he reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She turned into the touch and he smiled when she wasn't looking. "Akane," he murmured.

"Mmm?" she said, opening her eyes fully to look up at him.

"Will you stay?"

Her response was to reach up and kiss him, one of her hands snaking around to have her fingers tangle in the inky tresses at the nape of his neck. He smiled into it, pulling away to grin at her. His own hand cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking the ridge of her cheekbone. "I'll take that as a yes," he chuckled a little. Her face flushed and she turned her head away to bury it in the couch. "Don't be embarrassed," he turned her face back towards his and placed kisses on her forehead, each closed eyelid and the tip of her nose before settling on her lips once more. Her sweet softness was intoxicating in its own right and he pulled away to take a breath and clear his head. "Are you sure?" he asked, voice rough with suppressed desire. But it would do no good for her to do something she would regret in the morning. Then she would leave and all his plans would have a huge gaping hole in them. She nodded, her eyes darker than usual as she used the hand still tangled in his hair to pull him closer again. Their lips touched again and there was more heat to it this time, a bit of an edge. _Don't get carried away now. _

He brushed his tongue across the seam of her lips and she easily granted him entrance, her tongue dueling for dominance with his own. Her hands slid from the back of his neck around to the front where she loosened his tie further. He pulled back to yank it over his head and toss it into the corner of the room before their mouths crashed together again. Arousal mixed with alcohol was making them both frantic, but B still had the presence of mind to begin to slow things down. He kissed a path along the underside of her jaw and down her neck to the juncture between her collarbones. Then he pulled away and sat up. She whimpered at the loss of his warmth and he relished the sound. _She will submit so exquisitely. Please oh, please can we yank that hair? In time, in time. We have to be gentle now, gain her trust. She has to think us the most polite man she has ever met, only then will she come back and you will have your chance to do as you wish. Promise? Oh, yes, I do. I think she will enjoy it more than you realize. _

He held out a hand to pull her up as well and then wrapped both arms around her waist, holding her close. She rested her head on his shoulder and he could feel her breaths coming quicker. He spoke softly into her hair, burying his nose in it and inhaling the sweet scent. "I believe the bed would be more comfortable for these sorts of things," he said and could feel the heat radiate off her face. "Don't worry, come with me." He stood up from the couch and slipped off his dinner jacket. Releasing all of her except a hand, he padded down the hallway with the dark-haired girl in tow.

Instead of leading them to his bedroom with the freshly made bed, he took a small detour to the bathroom. At the doorway he dropped her hand and went to start the shower, turning the water as hot as possible and unbuttoning the rest of his buttons to slip off his dress shirt as well. When he turned around he saw her still standing in the doorway, a puzzled expression on her face.

"A shower?" her voice wasn't high in nervousness anymore and almost sounded normal except for a slight edge to it that betrayed her want.

He smiled. "It will clear both of our heads. If you're serious about this, I'd like it not to be forgotten in a drunken haze. And if you want to leave after…" he trailed off and schooled his expression into one of unsurety, biting his lip as if worried about her response. _You already know she is going to stay, why the show? I told you before; she needs to believe we're normal. She needs to see us as accommodating and sincere. Okay, okay, it's just getting boring is all. I know, trust me. The fun will come soon. Tonight? Maybe, now quit interrupting. _

"No," she shook her head. "I've gone this far, I'm not going to back out now." They hadn't gone terribly far yet, but B was willing to let her keep her fantasies.

"Determination," he nodded. "I like that in a woman," he replied flirtatiously.

She giggled and shrugged. "I think the water is warm enough now," she changed the subject quite effortlessly, he noticed.

"Indeed it is," he commented, looking straight at her instead of the steam billowing around the small room. As if in response to his intense look, she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it away, the expression on her face almost like a dare. He smiled hungrily as he let his eyes rove over her skin. _Marking her is going to be so much fun. _

She crossed her arms and looked away, her moment of confidence gone. He smiled and unzipped his pants, stepping out of them as they pooled on the floor. He went over to her and grabbed one of her hands, using it to pull her all the way into the steamy space.

B pulled her close again and kissed her. It quickly turned heated as his arms reached around to unclasp her bra and her wandering fingers traced over the planes of his torso. They broke apart again and Akane stepped back to unsnap her jeans and peel them off. She was breathing hard and the two stood staring at each other for a moment, as if unsure what to do next.

He stripped out of his boxers and stepped into the shower, leaving the glass door open behind him in invitation. The dark-haired girl hesitated for a moment. Despite all her determination and confidence earlier she was still nervous about becoming so intimate with someone she had just met. But he had been so polite and sweet and kind that she knew she couldn't just leave like this. Sighing in equal parts nervousness and excitement she removed the rest of her clothing and joined the mysterious red-eyed man in the shower.

XxXxXx

He was standing directly under the spray, his head thrown back as the warm water sluiced over his toned muscles. Akane unconsciously licked her lips at the sight. Coming up beside him, she traced a finger lightly over his collarbones and he opened his eyes to grin wolfishly down at her. _This is it, no backing out now, _she thought as the bottoms of her feet tingled. He pulled her close for another kiss that didn't stay sweet for long. He didn't seem to mind picking up the pace now that he was absolutely sure she wasn't going to leave or regret this. _How could I regret this? I don't know him that well, but he's been nothing but tenderhearted. _

His mouth moved from hers down her chest, paying attention to her perky nipples before going lower to stroke the soft skin of her stomach with his tongue. His hands were on her hips in an almost bruising grip. In return, her fingertips traced patterns over his back and reached up to tangle and tug on his soaking wet hair. The spikes hung, dripping, in his face when he looked up at her right before he slid two fingers inside her. She gasped and stilled for a moment before she moaned and rocked forward into his hand. He pumped in and out of her, loosening her and stroking her with the same motion and the feel of it was pure ecstasy. Her fingers scrabbled over his back, sinking into his shoulders as he continued. When he added a third finger, she came, her head thrown back and her teeth sinking into her lip to stifle her cry.

He laid kisses over her neck and chest as she came down from her high, prolonging the sensation. When she had enough of a presence of mind returned to her, she grabbed both sides of his face and pulled him back to her for another deep kiss. It was all teeth and tongue and when B grabbed one of her legs and hooked it around his waist, she quickly took the hint and wrapped the other around as well. He moved forward a step, pinning her between him and the shower wall and entering her in the same instance. She cried out loud as the awkward angle caused a slight pain at first. He stilled and gave her time to adjust, which she did soon enough and began to rock her hips against his. He picked up the motion in a flash and soon set a furious pace.

It seemed like mere minutes later when she was clenching hard around him, riding out her second orgasm. He came soon after, biting into her shoulder as he did so.

They both paused, seemingly frozen in time for a moment before he pulled out of her and stepped back so she could slid down from the wall. They washed off under the now cold spray in silence. But as he stepped out, she caught his hand and intertwined her fingers with his. "I'm glad I stayed," she murmured softly, as if afraid to break the fragile understanding between them.

"So am I," he replied.

XxXxXx

Bright sunlight streamed into the room and onto Akane's face. She blinked as she woke up, scrubbing a hand over her face. Peering around the unfamiliar room, she panicked for a moment before the events of the night before came back to her. Rewinding the evening in her brain, she blushed at her actions. _Did I really…? _

Sighing, she decided to gather her things in preparation for the walk of shame back to Glen's apartment. Getting out of bed, she discovered she was wearing a pair of plaid pajama pants and a t-shirt that was much too large for her. She smiled a little at B's thoughtfulness and padded down the hallway.

XxXxXx

The man in question was currently in the kitchen, munching on toast and jam and celebrating his victory. _She submitted so wonderfully, didn't she? That was fun; we should do it again sometime. Not so fast now, we need to make sure she's not embarrassed about last night. Why would she be? We gave her plenty of chances to leave. Hush, I hear her coming. _

B cut his internal debate short as he picked up on the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway. Seconds later, Akane appeared, looking delicious and adorable in his too big pajamas with messy hair. He smiled at her, putting just a bit of a lecherous edge to it, just enough to make her blush and complete the image. "I made you some breakfast," he announced, gesturing to a plate at the other end of the table and its accompanying mug of coffee. It was still steaming as he had not been up long before her. Last night had taken a lot out of even him, who did not normally need much sleep. _But that's only because L is an insomniac and we are his copy. But if we want to be better than him, shouldn't we practice normal sleep habits? Then we would be the perfect human being. Then again, you can't get quite as much done while sleeping. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS LATER! _

"Thank you," she murmured as she sat down and tucked into the toast.

He appraised her over the rim of his mug as he took a sip. Yes, indeed she was quite the catch. _Hook, line and sinker, she's ours now. _


	3. Sloth: Becoming Complacent

The third installment is here! I still do not own Death Note. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction about it, now would I? Hmm, actually that's an interesting question...Anyway, enjoy! And review! That'd be awesome!

_Thirteen Deadly Sins_

**Sloth**

{Becoming Complacent}

"You really should stop going back there Akane," Glen said. It was a few days after the party and judging by his pale face and the dark bags under his eyes, the artist was still recovering. It was a rainy afternoon and since neither had class, they had gotten together for a cup of tea.

"I'm a grown woman, Glen, you can't tell me who I can and can't see," Akane replied, taking a sip of the steaming liquid. She was growing tired of this conversation as it had been happening quite frequently since she had returned the morning after and had to confess her whereabouts of the previous night. At first, Glen had simply been incredulous. Akane was one of the most responsible of their group of friends, and definitely not one to trust a stranger's words. But after the shock had worn off, he had grown annoyingly protective. Like the older brother she never wished she had. "And aren't you still seeing who _you _were hooking up with that night?" Hopefully, this new line of reasoning would get him to lay off for a while.

He blanched and opened and closed his mouth a few times as he searched for what to say. "That's none of your business," he finally retorted weakly.

"Then my relationships are none of yours," the dark-haired girl replied coolly, calmly sipping her beverage. He spluttered for a few moments and she smirked at him.

"I'm only trying to help," he muttered sulkily, under his breath.

She stood and put her hand on his shoulder on her way to the kitchen. "Well, don't." He huffed a sigh and glared at her retreating back. She re-emerged and went over to the door to begin putting on her shoes. "Anyway, I've got to run. Will I see you later this week?"

"Where are you going?" his eyebrows knit together in confusion. "I thought you didn't have class this afternoon."

"I don't," she assured him, avoiding his eyes by pretending to have trouble with her laces. "I was going to go see B…"

"Akane…" his tone was a warning.

She looked up; her face flushed a light pink. "Don't Glen. We've already had this talk." She draped her sweatshirt over her arm. "Bye." Then she was gone.

He stared at the door for a while after she left, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth in concern for his friend.

XxXxXx

_She's really ours now, isn't she? Kya ha ha that she is. _B was sitting on the couch he had left in the living room. The surveillance equipment had been permanently relocated to a distant corner of his closet where his new plaything would hopefully never stumble across it. _She was so delectable when she was embarrassed that morning. _He smiled at the memory of Akane's deep red face as the two ate breakfast in silence. Afterwards, he watched her stutter painfully through a good-bye before he took pity on the poor girl and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. When he asked if she would come back after class that week, he thought her eyes would pop out of her head with how surprised she was. But she had breathlessly agreed and such had been the state of their relationship ever since. _Can we please have some fun with her now? All in good time, we will. Relax. It hasn't been that long since we first ensnared her. _He took another scoop of jam out of the jar and licked it hungrily off his fingers. His plans were flowing effortlessly now and he felt…dare he say it? Content.

Glancing over at the industrial clock hanging on the wall, he noted that it was nearing three-thirty and that Akane was due to be over in approximately half an hour. _32 minutes and 47 seconds to be exact. _A frown marred his features when he remembered that she said she would be stopping by to see Glen before she came over. B disliked the man across the hall for more reasons than just simple neighbor rivalry. He was sure that he was poisoning Akane against him with allegations of how…strange he was. While he knew that she had only ever seen the respectable side of him and had nothing to base Glen's accusations on, B knew that she would begin to believe him before long if only for the simple fact that he was her friend and she was the type of girl to hold a deep respect for those close to her. _Then let's just be rid of him. No, you've seen his numbers. His time won't be up for a good long while yet. Well, we could always scare him into silence. There are ways of making someone disappear without killing them, you know. Yes, I know that. But we can't do anything that will draw attention to us right now. We need to lie low before we strike at L. If word of our whereabouts gets out before the time is right everything will be RUINED! Stop with these childish games and work on your image. That's the most important thing right now. Akane may be infatuated but we need to fully gain her trust. You know, we could just kill her right now, too. It would make her so much easier to deal with. STOP IT! _

Glimpsing the half-empty jar in his hand B sighed and figured he should clean up before the girl showed. He stood up from his perch on the couch and lumbered into the kitchen to put away the condiment and wash his hands. A quick look in the mirror hanging by the front door and he deemed himself presentable. He flopped back on the couch and thought about what to do to while away the time until his guest appeared. _What would normal people be doing on a Wednesday afternoon? Well, they would either be at school or work or slaving away on something to further themselves in either field. We don't have anything to do in relation to those. True, though there are a few things that could use perfecting, but nothing that could be accomplished in the limited time we have. 24 minutes and 16 seconds to be exact. Why don't you watch television? That seems like something normal to do. Alright. _The dark-haired man pulled the remote towards himself and turned on the one device he had left out for appearances. He flipped through the channels; interested in nothing and growing increasingly irritated at the red tinge that covered each and every image that popped up on the screen. Finally becoming disgusted, he snapped the television off and simply sat on the couch in silence. _These damn Shinigami eyes are such a nuisance. But they can be so helpful. How else would you have found the girl? Fine, you have a point. _Shifting so that he was lying lengthways across the cushions, he closed his eyes. _Finally, something that isn't red. This is why we aren't an insomniac like L isn't it? Because the darkness is the only thing that isn't suffused with red? I suppose. Now leave me be. _

XxXxXx

Sighing, Akane leaned against the wood of the closed door, blowing her dark bangs out of her face with a puff of air. _He really needs to stop worrying so much. He'll give himself wrinkles, _she thought as she walked across the hallway. _B has been nothing but kind to me. _She smiled at the thought of how nicely their relationship had been progressing. They had spent many an afternoon talking about a wide variety of subjects; the intelligent man providing stimulating conversation. She hadn't stayed over since the first night due to conflicting schedules, but she the class she originally had tomorrow had been canceled. She was equal parts nervous and excited at the prospect of spending another evening with the dark-haired man.

Reaching apartment number thirteen, she knocked on the door and rocked back and forth on her heels while she waited for him to open it. A few minutes passed with no response. She knocked again, marginally louder this time and waited again. Still no response. Frowning, she dropped down to her knees to lift the welcome mat and remove the spare key he told her he kept there. Picking up the small silver item, she stood back up and carefully unlocked the door. She swung the door open slowly, not sure what to expect, but becoming increasingly nervous since the man said he would be waiting for her to stop by around this time. "Hello?" she whispered. No sound issued from the darkened space.

Mentally shaking herself for being so silly (_he's probably working in his back office and can't hear you) _she entered fully and shut the door quietly behind her. Not quite able to completely shake off her nerves, she tiptoed into the living room.

He was asleep. There he was sprawled across the couch, an arm flung above his head and one leg dangling off the side to allow his foot to rest on the floor. His mouth had fallen open slightly; his deep even breaths stirring his dark fringe.

She exhaled, releasing her tension with it, and giggled quietly at the sight. It was rare for her to catch him like this. Even when she came by after a late class, he was always up tinkering with something or other in that office of his. He claimed he didn't need much sleep, but she found that hard to believe. He was human after all.

Akane sat down in the armchair next to the currently occupied couch and watched him sleep for a moment. The normal crease lines in between his eyes had smoothed out and he looked at peace. She smiled. It was nice to see him like this. He was tense too often, too worried about keeping up appearances.

Her smile quickly turned mischievous as her eyes lit up with an idea. _He's so uptight and proper all the time; this will show him how to loosen up. _Getting up from her seat, she quickly and quietly walked down the hallway to the bedroom and grabbed one of the goose feather pillows from the bed. Returning to the living room, she crouched down behind the couch and surveyed her target.

Suddenly, WHAM! She wacked the pillow across his face, effectively startling him from his nap.

XxXxXx

_When did I fall asleep? _Was B's first groggy thought as he sat bolt upright on the couch. _And why was I woken up so suddenly? _He heard a giggle and titled his head back to look behind him. There he found Akane, a pillow in one hand, while the other covered her mouth, attempting to hold back her mirth. Instantly his eyes jumped to the clock and he saw it was a little after four. He turned back to his amused companion and raised an eyebrow, hoping to be enlightened on the situation. "You were sleeping when I came in, so I thought I'd wake you up," she explained, attempting to hide the pillow behind her back.

"With a pillow to the face?" there was disbelief in his tone. She shrugged, but her eyes were laughing. "Well then…" and quicker than lightning he hopped over the back of the couch and snatched the pillow out of her hand. "You better run," he intoned in a deep voice.

Her eyes widened. "But I don't have a weapon. This fight isn't fair!" she exclaimed.

"Then you better get one!" B shouted. And he brought the pillow down on her head. Her hair now thoroughly messed up; she glared at him, but squealed and backed away down the hall when he raised the squashy object in preparation for another attack. He tossed it at her retreating form but missed and immediately regretted the action as it left him defenseless. Seizing her chance, she leaned down and picked up the launched missile.

"You're going to get it, mister," she threatened playfully as she advanced on the dark-haired man. He gave her a toothy smile, letting her know he wasn't afraid. She kept walking forward until she was nearly next to him, but every time she tried to land a blow, she found it blocked by his arms. Letting out a grunt of frustration, she finally gave up and lopped it at his head only to have him catch it before it reached its intended target.

"You were saying?" he asked. She only laughed and ran away, presumably to the bedroom to get a weapon of her own. He chuckled darkly and gave chase, his heart beating fast in excitement. _What are you doing? Nothing, acting normal. If you're sure…_

He entered the room to find Akane on the other side, the bed between them. _Good strategy, _he noted. She was breathing hard from the exertion and for a moment, they both just stared at one another. Until the dark-eyed girl brushed her bangs out of her eyes and let out a warrior cry before jumping on the bed and using her momentum to swing her pillow at him. He effectively dodged and swung his pillow at her side in the same instance. She took the hit, but stayed standing, so he jumped onto the bed as well, grabbing her around the knees and causing her to crash down on the covers, with him on top.

She raised her arms to protect her face as he rained down blows upon her mercilessly. _See how easy it would be to end this now? Simply suffocate her with this pillow and it's all said and done. There's not even a mess that needs cleaning up. NO, her numbers aren't up yet, it simply won't be possible. Oh, you and your numbers. WAKE UP ALREADY! Haven't we already proved that we are better than the numbers on more than one occasion? Haven't we already proved that fate can be changed if you just pull the right strings? I can't do it yet. The plans…oh, the plans, THE PLANS. It's always about the plans with you. Make new ones and kill this girl. It will be fun, trust me… _"B, stop," the dark-haired girl on the bed begged, breathless both from laughter and…fear? _See how prettily she begs? There will be more of that sweet music if you listen to me. Just hold down the pillow, that's it… _Almost as if of their own accord, his hands held the pillow down over Akane's face. Just for a moment, but it was a moment too long. There was a blood-curdling scream from the girl as her hands came up to scrabble uselessly at the air. He immediately removed the pillow and the voice in his head died away with a derisive chuckle. _Weakling…_

He stared down at her for a moment, absolutely frozen with a blank mind. He knew he had overstepped some line. _But, oh, did you hear that scream?_ She was frozen as well, her eyes wide, cheeks flushed and her hair spread around her like an inky halo. When he detected the small bit of fear in her eyes, he immediately schooled his expression into a more pleasant one and flopped down beside her. "I believe I won that round," he quipped lightly and was relieved when she laughed, even if it was a bit shaky.

She shifted so that she was lying on her side and gave him an appraising look. He glanced over at her. "What?"

She avoided looking him directly in the eyes and his stomach tightened in fear that she was about to take her leave and screw up his plans. And all because he got carried away…_It will never happen again, _he vowed internally. "Do you have to work tonight?" she asked.

He kept his expression neutral so as not to reveal how relieved he was. She wanted to stay. _Well, of course she does. We are very persuasive when we want to be. And she has seen too much of the good side to let this one little thing change her opinion so drastically. _"Not necessarily…" he said, noncommittally.

She bit her lip as if unsure what she wanted to say. "Could we," she swallowed nervously. "Could we watch a movie maybe?" her voice trailed off to almost nothing at the end but he still heard her.

"Sure." The simple one-word answer surprised them both. _You really are becoming soft in your old age, aren't you? Quiet, I think you've caused enough damage for one afternoon._ He slid off the bed and offered her a hand to help her up. She accepted and he kept her fingers intertwined with his as he lead them both to the living room, leaving the pillows lying forgotten on the floor.

"What would you like to watch?" B asked as they settled themselves on the couch. She shrugged, seemingly still surprised that he was even agreeing to this at all. Normally, he would work while she would study. But right now, he was willing to do whatever she asked to erase that look of fear in her eyes.

Eventually they settled on a recent release that interested them both. As the opening credits rolled, she curled up beside him. Unsure of himself, he merely glanced down at the dark-haired girl for a moment. A strange warmth blossomed in his chest at this picture of her with him which only made him more confused. _Put your arm around her. Are you sure? Yes, trust me; it's the 'normal' thing to do. You like her. _There was that annoying pipsqueak voice again. He thought he had banished it to the far corner of his mind but it must have escaped during the stress of the afternoon. Regardless, he ignored its comment, but did put his arm around Akane anyway and felt a smile tug at his lips when she sighed in contentment.

_You're wrong. It wouldn't be right to kill her now. It's too early; it would mess with the plans. _There was neither answer nor argument, not even from the pipsqueak voice and B felt a little uneasy at that. It made the words (and his argument) sound hollow. But he decided to ignore it for now and settle in to the movie with his lover.

XxXxXx

Hours later, Akane awoke in bed. She almost panicked at the unfamiliar surroundings, but relaxed when she recognized the pattern of B's bedspread. She stretched out an arm and frowned when she realized she was alone. Rolling over to face the doorway, she noticed a sliver of light that must have come from the office. _Working again, _she shook her head and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. But the bitterness was quickly chased away by the warm feelings she got when she thought about their afternoon together. Watching a movie had been such a normal, couple-like thing to do. She couldn't help the smile that split her face whenever she thought about it.

The pillow fight had been fun too. Sure, B got a little carried away, but he hadn't meant to scare her, she could tell. Plus, the movie more than made up for it. Sighing she rolled over and settled in as she began to drift back to sleep. Yes, B was turning out to be the perfect lover despite his quirks.


	4. Gluttony: Stress Causes Cracks

A/N: Uhm, about this chapter...B made me do it! *hides behind a rock* But I think I paid him back enough in the end. Please enjoy & reviews would be awesome! Almost done guys!

_Thirteen Deadly Sins_

**Gluttony**

{Stress Causes Cracks}

She hummed as she tied the red satin ribbon into a bow around the top of the jar. "What are you doing?" Glen's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Wrapping a present," was her absentminded reply as she straightened the ties. Even though she wasn't facing him, she could feel his glare boring between her shoulder blades and sighed. "We've been through this before. Go back to your boy toy in the living room and keep your nose out of my business," she snapped. Normally, she would have more patience with one of her closet friends, but she had grown irritated with how much meddling he had been doing in her life lately. Especially when he was being such a hypocrite about it. As much as she had become a regular fixture at apartment thirteen, the mysterious man from the closet had become a common occurrence at Glen's. Who was he to judge her for a relationship based on a tipsy one-night stand when he was doing the exact same thing?

There was silence in the kitchen. "Fine," the artist finally said. "I'll leave you alone. But just know, Akane," she turned to face him. "I have a bad feeling about this." His green eyes held a worried shadow as he studied her face before retreating back to the other room.

She sighed and bit her lip as she tugged at the end of the ribbon. It seemed like everyone was mad at her nowadays. Even B had asked for a break. He claimed he had pressing matters to deal with in his work, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was something she'd done. Their relationship had seemed shaky, especially on his part, since their last night together.

But it had been close to a week now and she had prepared the jar of his favorite jam as a sort of peace offering. As random as their being together was, she found herself missing the odd, dark-haired man when he wasn't there.

Picking up the jar, she walked out to say her goodbyes to Glen. "I'll see you later," she called as she laced up her shoes. All she received was a grunt in reply but the dark-haired man also threw a warm smile her way and as she left she felt that things were going to be okay between them.

Across the hall, she knocked on the door and quickly hid her hands – and the present – behind her back. _He's going to be so surprised, _she thought as she waited.

The door swung open then to reveal the dark-haired man, his spikes in even more disarray than usual, as if he had been running his hands through them repeatedly. The shadows under his eyes were darker than the last time she had seen him and his eyes stood out sharply against his pale skin.

She felt her smile droop a bit in concern as she noticed the changes, but she presented the jam nonetheless, giving a cheerful, "Surprise!"

And surprised he did seem as for a moment, he simply stood there.

XxXxXx

_She brought us a jar of jam, _B thought, a bit dazedly. _Well, go on, take it, idiot. Don't just stand there. But I didn't expect her back. At all, or at least not for a while. She likes you. Apparently we did a good enough job seducing her the other night, _the voice turned appraising as it ran a critical eye over her form. He had to admit, she looked good. Her hair was down over her shoulders and when she nervously tucked a strand behind her ear, it caught the light and shined. He cheeks were rosy and she seemed happy, if tired. _It looks like she's gotten about as much sleep as us, _the voice chuckled. _This was a good test of her loyalty and it seemed that she passed with flying colors, judging by how much she missed out presence. I didn't plan it like that…You like her. _There was that annoying voice again insisting that he had feelings for the girl when he knew it was simply surprise at her return. _I do not, _he retorted. The voice was silent but there was a mocking tinge to it that only infuriated him more.

"Umm, B?" Akane's soft voice broke into his thoughts, pulling him back to the present and the fact that she was still standing on his doorstep. "Are you alright?"

He smiled at her. "Perfectly. I was just in the middle of something when you knocked…"

She blushed. "I'm so sorry to have distracted you then. I'll just go." She began to back away, but he reached out and grasped her wrist to stop her.

"On the contrary, my dear," he murmured, bringing her hand to his mouth and brushing a kiss against her knuckles. "I find you a most pleasant distraction."

She smiled at his comment and he smirked internally. _Looks like everything is back to normal, huh? Care to discuss whey you're so happy about that? No, besides I have a much more amusing was to spend the afternoon. Now, kindly shut up. _The voice continued muttering in the background but B chose to ignore it in favor of the delectably red-faced girl in front of him. Using the hand that was still on her wrist, he pulled her into the apartment, shutting the door behind her, and pressing her against it as he pressed his lips to hers. It was meant to be only a quick kiss, but it quickly turned heated. Intertwining their fingers, he held her hand against the door above her head as he ravaged her mouth.

After a few moments, she gasped and pulled away. He raised an eyebrow in question, his own breathing a little quicker. "I almost dropped this," she explained, holding out the jar of jam to him once again.

He smiled, taking it out of her hands and holding it up it the light. Strawberry, his favorite.

Acting on a sudden impulse, he unscrewed the cap and dipped his finger inside. When he pulled it out, it was coated in the sticky substance which he then proceeded to lick off, all the while ignoring Akane's wide-eyed stare at his actions.

Once finished, he held the jar towards her. "Would you like some?" he asked, his voice perfectly polite. Wordlessly, she shook her head, confusion in her eyes. "Are you sure?" his voice dropped an octave lower and he injected an undertone of heat to it as he backed the petite girl into the wall beside the door.

Another nod. B clucked his tongue as he dipped his finger into the jar again. "But it would be such a shame to let it go to waste," he continued in the same tone. Understanding suddenly brightened the eyes of the girl and she let out a small gasp. He looked up at her through his lashes and let his gaze scorch her own. She quickly looked away.

Reaching up with his soiled hand, he drew his finger across her cheek, leaving behind a trail of the sticky substance. She turned back to look at him, a slight fuzziness in her eyes. He felt his pulse spike at the sight. _Do we get to have fun with her now? Oh, yes, we do. _

He placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her face towards his, placing a sweet, lingering kiss upon her lips, swallowing the small sigh she let escape. Moving to her cheek, he swiped his tongue at the trail of jam he had left behind.

She let out a small whimper at that and her hands moved up to grasp his forearms where they hovered near her waist her fingers bunching the fabric of his t-shirt. He pulled back and they stared at each other for a moment, their breathing loud in the silence of the apartment.

Suddenly, his hands found purchase on her hips in a bruising grip, and he pulled her flush against him so that she could feel his pressing arousal. She gasped a little and he leaned down to tease the spot behind her ear with his mouth, whispering to her as he did so. "Akane…"

"Hmm…?" she responded, her eyes far away and her thoughts most likely focused on the finger that was tracing delicately across her hipbone than on his words.

"Are you opposed to this?" he asked, picking up the jar of jam from where he had set it on the sideboard that usually held his keys and such. He moved to place another dollop of the sticky substance on the strip of stomach that been exposed with her ridden up shirt, but paused as the voices spoke up again. _You really should stop this. She's a genuinely nice girl and all you're doing is corrupting her with your sick, twisted little games! Please try to leave at least one part of her innocence untainted! Do you see her complaining? _There was a sullen silence. _Corrupting the willing isn't quite corruption, now is it? Now, as I said before, kindly shut up. _And continuing his previous action he traced a jam-covered finger just above the waistband of her jeans, feeling the muscles of her stomach jump and quiver under his touch. "So responsive," he murmured as his hands left her hips to trace lightly over her ribs until he grazed the underside of her bra. The low, throaty moan that she attempted to suppress sent a shiver down his spine and he stood up to draw her back in for another kiss. "I'll take that as a no," he mused afterwards.

"Correct," she breathed against the hollow of his throat as her tongue laved his collarbone. He smiled to himself at her newfound boldness and wrapped one arm around her waist and grabbed the jar with his other hand, all but dragging her to the bedroom.

XxXxXx

_I can't believe I'm doing this, _Akane thought to herself as she lay back on the bed. The jam was a cool contrast to her overheated skin and the sensation was strange and lovely all at once. She arched her back off the bed as B dipped his tongue into her navel, sending an electric shock through her middle.

Sitting up and leaning back on the heels of her hands, she surveyed him. His red eyes glinted with a dangerous light that thrilled her more than scared her. He was sitting with his legs tucked up under him on one lower corner of the bed. Her legs were stretched out diagonally towards the other side. Neither of them had removed any articles of clothing yet, though both were breathing heavily and thoroughly aroused. As she watched, he picked up the jam from its place on the bedside table and scooped out another portion. Her eyes stayed focused on the motion of his Adams apple as he swallowed the sweet. Seized by a sudden idea and encourage by his response to her earlier actions, she lunged forward and kissed him before he could swallow his second mouthful, forcing her tongue between his lips. He seemed frozen for a second before he caught on to her intent and his tongue snaked out to play with hers, sharing the sugary strawberry.

After, she leaned back and let a smirk grace her features, like a cat that had just caught the canary. Before she could react, she was pressed back into the mattress, his weight bearing down on her, but not unwelcome. His mouth was glued to hers and she responded to the kiss eagerly. He was just as impatient as she and it was perfectly okay with her that playtime was over.

His wandering hands tugged the hem of her shirt up to her ribs and she sat up so that he could more easily pull it over her head. Their mouths stayed connected except for when she broke away to roughly yank the shirt over her head and toss it to the floor and then they were joined once again. His fingertips were tracing over her exposed stomach and back and she moaned into his mouth at the teasing touches on her overheated skin. Her own hands were buried in his dark spikes which were soft and not at all as tangled as they seemed.

Now it was he who pulled back to remove his own dark shirt and unbuckled his belt. He shimmied out of his jeans with quiet grace that Akane was jealous of as she watched him through half-lidded eyes. Clad only in a pair of dark boxer shorts, he maneuvered so that he supported his weight on his forearms while leaning over her and going back to kissing her breathless.

Her arms entwined around his neck and she used that as leverage to press their bodies against one another, grinding her hips against his. Both of them moaned at the friction and without warning, he flipped them over so that Akane was on top. She sat up, straddling his waist as she let her hands wander over his sublet yet defined muscles. His hands slid sensually from their place on her hips around to her backside before moving up to unclasp her bra, which he did so effortlessly. He slipped it off her arms slowly, causing a blush to rise to her cheeks. He chuckled. "Embarrassed, love?"

"Shut up," she mumbled, lying back down so that as much of their bare skin was pressed together as possible. He hummed in contentment and tilted her chin up to initiate another deep kiss. Soon enough, their positions were reversed again as B popped the button on her jeans, and then used his teeth to pull down the fly. She let out a half-gasp, half-sigh at this and he slowly tugged both the denim and her underwear off until she was completely naked. He sat back for a moment and simply devoured her with his eyes. She tolerated it for all of five seconds before she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, the blush suffusing her face becoming deeper. "Perv," she muttered.

"Really?" he asked, making no effort to stop his wandering gaze.

She bit her lip, as her past actions came flooding back. "You started it," she insisted. The dark-haired man simply sat there, making no move to continue their actions. Getting up onto her knees, she went over to him and pressed herself against him, wrapping her arms around his waist, her fingers teasing at the waistband of his boxers. "Please," she whispered breathily against the side of his neck as she place open-mouthed kisses against it. "Please."

He growled low in his throat and she found her mouth claimed in a rough kiss as he stripped away the last article of clothing and once more laid her down on the bed. Their hands were everywhere and their mouths were glued together. There was such an overload of sensations that she almost didn't notice when he first entered her. But she did notice when he twisted his hips a little. She groaned and he stopped, thinking that he hurt her. "Don't stop…" she ground out, and twisted her own hips to gain some friction. He needed no more encouragement as he was then thrusting into her with reckless abandon.

Release was looming on the horizon for both of them and when they came, they did so together, crying out loudly. He pulled out of her and lay down on the bed next to her. The two were breathing loudly and were sweaty and spent. Her breathing deepened almost instantly as she drifted off into sleep, snuggling closer to B as she did so. He looked down at the messy head of dark hair across his chest and some emotion flashed in his eyes before he quickly hid it.

XxXxXx

_It's just a little fling, _B thought as he angrily clacked away at the keyboard. Perhaps if he typed loud enough and stared at the screen long enough, it would drown out the images and sounds of the events of that afternoon that kept coming back to haunt him. He had left Akane sleeping in the bedroom while had retreated to the office after a quick shower. _Are you really sure about that? It seems as if this "little fling" is becoming quite dangerous. It's not, trust me. _The voice was silent, presumably finding no response to dignify that remark. Even he knew it was weak. Why else would he have a file on his computer marked with her name? Why else would said file be filed with modified plans centering on her? After this afternoon, he knew he could no longer lie to himself. While he may lie to everyone to get his way, to manipulate them into doing exactly as he wanted without them even knowing it, he knew lying to himself was the first step towards failure. _Are you sure about that too? It seems as if this girl was your first mistake. But she was only meant to be a bit of fun! Looks like your bit of fun turned out to be more than you bargained for. Then why did I see her numbers when I did if it wasn't meant to be? HA! Fate, destiny, do you really believe in all that hokey crap? _

_You like her, how many times do I have to tell you? _Even the pipsqueak voice was beginning to get exasperated with him. And he was speaking about feelings again when B knew for a fact that he didn't have any. _Can I help it if she's good in bed? _He hoped his flippant comment would appease them so he could get his work done. _That's not all it is and you know it, _the annoying voice replied. _For once I am in agreement. You know that her role has far surpassed that of a lover. No, it hasn't, I assure you. She is merely an amusing distraction to help pass the time. If that's true, destroy the file with her name on it. _His hand froze on the wireless mouse, the pointer moving over the file as if on its own accord. His panicked thoughts ran around in circles as he tried to come up with an excuse to avoid doing just that. That file contained all his hard work of the week that had passed since meeting the dark-haired girl. _9 days, 20 hours, 47 minutes, and 17 seconds, to be exact. _It was how she could end up with him at the end of all this. Most of them were made in a daze; he hadn't even been aware he was making them, only that they were there and that they had slowly grown in importance to him.

_It's just as I thought, _the voice thought acidly, _you can't do it. You're pathetic. You're weak. No, I'm not. I'm just not one to be wasteful. I'm not going to throw out all this hard work for no more reason than a suspicion that the girl is something more to me than a plaything. Besides, _he continued as a new train of thought occurred to him. A smirk turned up the corners of his mouth. _Wouldn't it be great to have it all? _There was silence in his mind and he felt triumphant that he had stumped them.

It was true, though. _What _would _it be like to have it all? It would be…_even the voices couldn't come up with an immediate answer. Truth was, B had been mulling this train of thought over in the back of his mind for a while now. He saw two viable options as his fate: to become L, as his copy, or to surpass him. Having it all would fall under the second category and that one began to look more and more appealing to his inner perfectionist. He would have everything the detective had ever had and more. He had the appearance and the smarts, but he also had the people skills. Plus, he was self-sufficient. He wasn't a sniveling weakling who needed a manservant to cater to his every whim. He was stronger than L. He would do it; he would become the greatest in the world!

The voices still offered no opinion and the red-eyed man smiled. It was a good feeling, being in charge. And every day was one step closer to the completion of his plans.

_It would be…_the voice tried again, but trailed off into a tone of wonder and awe. _Exactly. It will be glorious! I will be God! No, even better! Kya ha ha! _

As he shut down his computer, done with work for the evening, he caught sight of himself in the black screen. His eyes were feverishly bright and there were red patches high up on his cheeks. _You sir, are glutton for punishment, _a voice from somewhere deep in his mind spoke. _I know. _

He also knew that the failure rate for his plans had now gone up. Because he was lying to himself. Having it all wasn't his reason for fitting Akane into the plans. Not at all.

Back in the bedroom, he lay down beside the still sleeping form of the girl, trying to catch some sleep himself.

But sleep never came and even the voices in his head couldn't explain the sparkling drops in his outstretched hands.


End file.
